Shinden Kasai
Shinden Kasai was one of the two major temples to Osano-wo. Emerald Empire: The Essential Guide to Rokugan, p. 181 The Monastery of Osano-wo was the headquarters of the Order of Osano-wo. Emerald Empire: The Essential Guide to Rokugan, p. 171 Founding Late in his life, Osano-wo founded a martial arts school to pass on his considerable martial knowledge. He built a fine dōjō using timber he cut himself from the forest. He lined the walls with his favorite weapons and armor. Then, he waited for students. The very first was a diminutive old monk, Tamadora. She had no prior combat experience but had to travel frequently, and she wanted to learn to defend herself. Usual weapons were awkward for her short stature, so he suggested boxing, which turned out to be the correct choice, as she could duck and flank his massive frame easily. Osano-wo taught Tamadora how to use the hard parts of her body to strike the soft parts of his. She became the second headmaster of Osano-wo's dōjō after his death, expanding the school into a monastery. Building the Fortress Two hundred years after the death of Osano-wo, the Brotherhood of Shinsei requested that Osano-wo's ono battle-ax, kept but not used by the Hida family, be given for safekeeping to Shinden Sandā in Mantis lands. As the Hida were unwilling to send the weapon such a distance, a samurai named Kaiu Tomoki was given the task of building a temple to rival that of the Mantis. The Plains of Thunder were deemed the most suitable location, and Tomoki took engineers and bushi with him to build a structure to protect the weapon. The Crab warriors stayed, practicing their martial ways. Since that time, many warriors from all clans and castes had joined them rather than retiring to a quieter monastic life elsewhere. The Brotherhood of Shinsei was satisfied, though the sōhei of the temple remained set apart, governing themselves. Emerald Empire: The Essential Guide to Rokugan, pp. 181-182 Tradition Many of the resident monks were retired Crab samurai. Storms ravaged the Plains of the Thunder all year round, and the temple was built as a formidable fortress of limestone. To reach it, visitors must scramble over rocks that no horse could traverse and navigate a maze fitted with deadly traps. This same maze was used as a training ground for initiate monks, ensuring that only the best survive to become fully fledged Thunder Sōhei. Lightning rods atop the walls created a blinding display during the regular storms. The Kaiu engineers installed large metal rods atop the temple to harness the power of lightning itself, and used it to power traps that incinerated those who stumbles into them. The Army of Osano-wo As Shinden Kasai contained a battle-ready army of sōhei, several commanders had petitioned the temple for aid in the past, but only the Emerald Champion could count on these monks, since they believed victory in the Emerald Championship demonstrated Osano-wo's blessing. Emerald Empire: The Essential Guide to Rokugan, p. 182 Known Headmasters * Osano-wo * Tamadora * Kusuburu Category:Holdings of the Brotherhood of Shinsei